Can reading make you happier

From a young age, we are encouraged to read more and are taught that reading is good for everyone. I’m sure as enthusiastic readers, we would say that reading has a multitude of benefits. Is one of these benefits that it makes us happier? A study by The New Yorker delves into the meaning of ‘bibliotherapy’ and how books have been prescribed as a kind of medication to improve wellbeing. Bibliotherapy has been used from prison inmates to the elderly suffering from dementia. But to what extent can science back up the notion that bibliotherapy works and can reading literature truly make us happier people?

However, this notion is not just a feeling; it is also backed up by science and multiple studies about the effects of reading

As avid readers, I’m sure we have all felt the positive effects of reading and would believe that reading makes us happier. However, this notion is not just a feeling; it is also backed up by science and multiple studies about the effects of reading. Reading allows us to immerse ourselves in something outside of our busy day-to-day lives, acting as a form of escapism. It is no surprise, then, that reading actually relaxes us. According to a study by the University of Sussex, reading can reduce stress by up to 68%. So, reading can be a good stress relief thus making us happier. This is also backed up by Ceridwen Dovey who says that our brains go into a trance-like state during reading which leads to the fact that “regular readers sleep better, have lower stress levels, higher self-esteem, and lower rates of depression than non-readers”. The act of reading itself, regardless of what we are reading, can therefore unlock a part of our brain that calms us causing knock-on effects that ultimately improve our wellbeing.

Reading also improves our empathy and compassion for those around us

But this calming effect is not the only thing about reading that makes us happier. Reading also improves our empathy and compassion for those around us. Particularly when reading fiction, readers get to experience something through the perspective of a character. Reading allows us to feel emotions that we wouldn’t necessarily understand in the real world. Psychologist Diana Tamir says that “people who often read fiction have better social cognition”. This makes them more empathetic and aware of others’ thoughts and feelings. This compassion is further expanded upon when a story emotionally transforms a reader and therefore it is not limited to fiction but anything we may read that truly moves us.

The idea of bibliotherapy goes back centuries, supporting the notion that reading can certainly boost happiness. The BBC have launched their own bibliotherapy column and have delved into how books can support struggles such as feeling lost in life, heartbroken and more. Revealing the history behind bibliotherapy, they say that even the Ancient Greeks placed signs on libraries as a healing place. Books have been a source of happiness for many years and hopefully, many years to come.

Personally, even without knowing the science behind reading and its connection to happiness, I have experienced the positive effects of reading. Even setting aside time for myself to read fills me with a sense of joy. It is a time to be alone, outside of the busyness of the real world and a time to appreciate good literature. Although not all stories are bound to be happy ones, I still enjoy reading all types of stories as it is a way of gaining knowledge about certain situations or feelings for a particular character. I’m sure you would also agree that the act of reading also builds a sense of community as it allows you to share opinions and recommendations with fellow readers like friends, family, book clubs and blog posts!

So, science certainly proves that reading can enhance happiness. You may find this happiness in your own favourite book or a new one recommended by a friend. Encourage others to read, telling them of these effects. Find time to set aside and devote it to your reading: it is truly worth it.